[Management of hemostasis abnormalities in patients with liver failure]

Abstract

Patients with end-stage liver disease have complex alterations that involve all components of hemostasis, with changes both in prohemostatic and in antihemostatic pathways. Routine haemostasis tests such as prothrombin time and platelet count are unable to reflect a bleeding tendency. Bleeding complications are much less related to abnormal hemostasis than previously thought, with portal hypertension playing a more critical role. Systematic prophylactic measures based upon the use of fresh frozen plasma and/or platelet concentrates to improve or correct the abnormalities of the routine coagulation tests are most often inappropriate and may occasionally be deleterious.